Chapter 7: Certified Mail

Three weeks later, I studied my hands. At my last visit, the doctor finally unwrapped all the bandages that completely enveloped my whole hands in gauze footballs. At first sight, my hands were heavily scarred. Frankly, they were hideous. And I didn’t mind it much.

Because they still worked! Thumbs and fingers could move in all the appropriate ways, which was a blessed relief.

“Mr. Lyon, I want you to listen to me very carefully. I’m really pleased with your function, but you have to remember two things. First, the skin is extremely delicate. Tissues are stronger and more resilient than your skin. Second, you need to start rebuilding strength, but extremely gently. I’m talking about squeeze balls made of foam, not the usual stiff rubber or plastic.

“You have to be really careful. I’m dispensing to you some gauze gloves to protect your skin and to keep you from being stared at when you’re out in public. When you’re out, I suggest you put your right arm in a sling, which will show people you are injured and can’t do things like push a shopping cart or drive. Also, don’t try crutches or push a wheelchair yourself.”

“Drive? Really?”

“You could steer perhaps, but wrestling the gearshift or the parking break is too much, you see. I’m anticipating your next question. If you can be delicate with your hands, I think you will have normal function in six weeks. Unfortunately, burns heal slowly.

“Now, the other issue is cosmetics. I’m afraid there’s a lot of permanent scarring that you’ll have for the rest of your life. You may be wanting to use gloves all the time; that’s a good idea anyway because even a year from now your skin will still be thin and delicate.”

I returned to the lobby and waved my new fingered hands at Sparkle, who jumped up and ran around like crazy, and Ellie. Ellie just cried, silently, tears running down her face.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?”

“Your hands are back! I’m so happy!”

For the very first time, I put my hands on both sides of her head. We kissed, open-mouthed, for a long time.

“C’mon, Ellie, let’s take Sparkle out of here and, I know, let’s get drive-thru so I can eat with my hands!”

And that’s what we did! I had to be careful to keep anything messy, like french fries, from staining my gauze gloves with grease. But that was one tasty burger. Sparkle got a kid’s meal box with a toy car. Would you believe it?”

Having the use of my hands restored improved my life quite a bit. I could feed myself, hold and use a tablet, read to Sparkle and turn the pages myself, all kinds of things. With my knee improving, I looked forward to being ambulatory, in the words of my doctor.

Sparkle was down for her nap, and I was jerking off when Ellie came in and caught me.

“Why?” she asked.

“You were working, Sparkle was napping, and I was thinking about you. Someday soon, I will have your boobs in my bare hands. Right now, that was enough for me. I couldn’t imagine that we could have sex while you’re on the phone talking about seat assignments.”

She gobbled the head of my cock, and I was almost ready to shoot when she pulled off, touched her earpiece, and said, “Customer Service, this is Ellie, how can I help you?”

She grinned at me and retreated to her den. I finished the job and drips were everywhere.

The next day, though, the celebration was over.

“Daniel, I just received a certified letter. It has to be bad news. Will you read it for me?”

“Sure, open the envelope and give me the pages ... Whoa! You’re right, it is bad news. According to this, you have to move out by the end of next month.”

“Move out? But why?”

Unfortunately, our little girl followed Ellie in, and heard me. Yeah, I’ve started using “our” when I speak of her. Sparkle shrieked and ran to her room, crying loudly.

“I’ll be back, Daniel. Read it all again and see what is going on.”

I could hear her crying bitter tears; it tore at my heart.

“You said this is YOUR house, Mommy. But now it isn’t? We have to MOVE?”

She was understandably angry. Finally, Ellie gave up on trying to soothe her and came back to me.

“She’s just going to have to cry herself out, and probably go to sleep afterwards. So, give me the bottom line.”

“As best as I can figure out, this whole thing is underway because of your ex.”

“Parker? Fuck him. But why?”

“Apparently, this comes from your judgment of divorce. If you live with another adult, he has the right to force a sale. You have to be completely moved out, so the house can be fixed up and shown to new buyers. The only good news is that when the sale goes through, you get 50% of the price, less the down payment he made originally. And I think this house is now worth a lot.”

“I guess I need to find an apartment or something for me and Sparkle, and you, I hope.”

“ELLIE! Don’t say that. You know I love you; I’m not leaving you. Besides, I own a house we can move into.”

“You do? Oh, yeah, you mentioned that. I just forgot.”